Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park student wins silver medal at NCC training camp

Class IX student Tanya Gautam of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, brought pride to the school by securing the silver medal in firing practice at the NCC Combined Annual Training Camp (CATC), organised by Group ‘C’, NCC Headquarters, Safdarjung Enclave. Competing against over 200 Junior Wing cadets, Tanya’s achievement stands out as a milestone for the school. In this conversation, Tanya shared her inspiring journey, challenges, and learnings from the camp.

Read edited excerpts:

Tanya, congratulations on winning the silver medal! How would you describe your overall experience at the camp?

Thank you! At first, it was difficult to adjust. For 2–3 days I kept calling my mother every two hours, sharing every single detail. But later, everything got better. I made many friends, including some senior cadets from colleges, and they were very nice. In the end, it turned into a wonderful experience for me.

What was the daily routine like at the camp?

We had to follow a strict timetable. We got up at 4 am and reported to the ground by 5:45 am. There was a fixed time for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner, and by 10 pm we had to return to our rooms. There were rules, and punishments if anyone broke them. Earlier, before NCC, I did things whenever I wanted, but now there’s a timetable in my life that I follow as an NCC cadet.

You mentioned it was your first time firing a rifle. What was that like?

Yes, it was the first time I had ever seen a real rifle. When I got to know that we had to shoot at the target, I was nervous and didn’t want to do it. When my turn came, I had both nervousness and excitement in my mind. But I kept myself focused with only one thought – that I must win and get a medal. After so much difficulty, I got second position, and it was a different kind of happiness.

How did you feel when you realised you had won the silver medal?

The first thing that came to my mind was to tell my family, especially my father. I wanted to surprise him. It was a very proud moment for me. I can never forget the happiness I felt when I received my medal.

What was the most memorable part of the camp for you, apart from the medal?

The best part was the last night of the camp. We had a cultural programme with music, dance, qawwali, and more. After that, there was a dance party where we all made videos and clicked pictures. It was so much fun and a perfect ending to the camp.